Biometric authentication relates to automatically and uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. Biometric authentication often involves technologies that measure and analyze human physical and behavioral characteristics. Examples of physical characteristics include fingerprints, retinas, irises, facial patterns and hand measurements, while examples of mostly behavioral characteristics include signature, gait and typing patterns. Voice is considered a mix of both physical and behavioral characteristics.
To obtain access to a secure device, a user provides a candidate physical characteristic (e.g., a biometric candidate). Authenticating the user involves comparing the biometric candidate to a previously recorded, corresponding authentication template (e.g., a biometric template). To facilitate this comparison, the previously recorded, corresponding biometric entry may be digitized and stored as the biometric template. Additionally, collection of a biometric candidate from the user involves obtaining a digital representation of one or more physical characteristics of the user.
In many instances, the device that obtains a biometric candidate is different from the device that uses the biometric candidate to authenticate a user and these devices may be distinct from a further device that stores biometric templates necessary for comparison during authentication.
A smart card generally comprises a pocket-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit that can process information. Smart cards provide storage of user and account identity and, as such, smart cards often provide storage of biometric templates.
Biometric templates are just one example of data for which secure storage may be desired.